In two previous blogs we looked at the excitement surrounding Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in Dorchester in 1904 before it arrived; and then how the day of the show unfolded. As seen in the previous two blogs the Dorset County Chronicle reported extensively on the show, detailing its arrival, the show itself and its departure; but records held at the Dorset History Centre can add just a little bit more detail to the story.
In the report on the show in the Dorset County Chronicle on 9th June 1904 it was reported that:
“During the bareback horse race by Indians two of the red-skinned riders had the misfortune to fall from their horses. They were taken to the County Hospital where it was discovered both had fractured their collar bones. A woman, from among the audience, had also to be conveyed to the hospital on a stretcher, having fallen down in the field in an epileptic fit through excitement”.
Amongst the archives we hold are the Admission Registers for Dorset County Hospital that cover 4th June 1904. Looking at the admission register there were just three admissions recorded for that date as shown below:
Admission No: 18399 is the local lady from Tolpuddle, called Mary Teach, aged 32 who was obviously was the woman conveyed to hospital,
‘having fallen down in the field in an epileptic fit through excitement’
She was discharged as cured on the 9th June 1904.
The following two admissions, No. 18400 and 18401, are obviously the
‘two of the red-skinned riders [who] had the misfortune to fall from their horses. They were taken to the County Hospital where it was discovered both had fractured their collar bones’
The first is named as Henry Kettle, aged 26 and the second is Jas Redhouse, aged 24. Both have the occupation of ‘Rough Rider’ with their parish listed as ‘Wild West’ and in the column ‘Disease’ both are recorded as having fractured Clavicle’s (collarbone’s). No other information regarding their treatment is available but they were discharged from hospital on 13th June 1904.
No doubt they, like the show, moved on! We wonder where the show went next and how quickly Kettle and Redhouse were back in the saddle!
An excellent series of blogs on Buffalo Bill’s 1903 visit to Dorchester. Very informative.
Do you have any photographs of the show, the show grounds, spectators, or performers?
Very interesting!
Hi Gary – unfortunately we don’t hold any other records that give us any more information about the event. Our understanding is that “Lock’s Field” on the poster would also have been known as the “Fair Field” on Weymouth Road (this is now Fairfield Road car park in Dorchester). We do hold some photographs of Weymouth Avenue, which may show glimpses of Fair Field from around that time period, but nothing that obviously relates to Buffalo Bill’s visit.
Thank you.
‘Henry Kettle’ was otherwise Henry Red Kettle and for ‘Redhouse’ I would suggest ‘Redhorse’ or ‘Red Horse’.